The firm behind a planned multi-billion-pound nuclear plant has asked for more time to carry out significant improvements to a 16 kilometre stretch of road linking the development with the A55.

In July 2018 Anglesey Council’s planning committee approved the plans which include widening and putting down a new surface on the A5025 between Valley and Llanynghenedl, Llanfachraeth and Llanrhuddlad, and Cefn Coch to the proposed Wylfa Newydd power plant site.

But with the project officially on hold and a UK Government decision on a Development Consent Order (DCO) not expected until at least September, developers have now asked to extend the condition ruling that work would have to start within two years.

In its submission, Horizon Nuclear Power acknowledged the “suspended state” of the project but noted its commitment to securing the DCO “in anticipation of these funding arrangements being realised and the project recommencing.”

The firm has asked to extend the planning permission from July 13 of this year to July 2023, describing the road improvements as “an integral component of delivering the project should DCO be granted.”

When approving the original plans in 2018, officers noted their satisfaction with the plans which,  expected to take over a year to complete, would employ up to 125 workers during the construction phase. 

But with a  proportion of the work being specialist road construction, it was also anticipated that some of the skilled labour would need to be sourced from outside the local area.

The plans include the widening of some sections of the road, including some of the sharp bends, with a new surface also put in place to improve its quality and extend its lifespan.

A temporary construction compound would also be installed to handle the materials removed from the existing road and recycle them to construct the new road.

Up to 95% of material would be reused, reducing the need to bring in and dispose of materials, with a site being proposed alongside the A5025 near Cefn Coch for this purpose.

Separate plans for new sections of road to bypass villages along the existing A5025, namely Valley, Llanfachraeth and Cefn Coch, are not part of the current application, however, and are being dealt with as part of the main Development Consent Order application to build the power station.

Local Twrcelyn ward councillor, Aled Morris Jones said he “welcomed” the new application and was announcing the DCO planning decision when it’s expected in the autumn.

It’s likely that Anglesey Council’s planning department will consider the application over the coming weeks.